“I think in this budget there will be some taxes, but I would estimate in our revenue raising plan there will probably be somewhere from 10 to 12 or 13 percent of the overall deficit reduction,” Paterson told Don Weeks.

If my math skills serve me (and they often do not), given our $9.2 billion deficit, that’s about $1 billion.

“We have to find ways to balance our budget,” Paterson continued. “We have a $9.2 billion deficit, and to do that, the one way we really want to avoid is borrowing. Because borrowing is a way in which you’re only deferring problems from the present into the future. Taxes are regrettable, certainly we don’t want to increase them at this particular time, but a combination of a few taxes and some rather severe cuts to services is the best, I think, solution. That’s how I wrote my budget in January.”

“Some of my colleagues are having trouble making the tough decisions. You’re going to have to tighten your belt at a time such as this,” Paterson said. “Worldwide, the lesson we have to learn is you can’t spend money you don’t have. So our issue isn’t a taxing issue, it’s really a spending issue.”

“I would say that we’re pretty close, but we’re down to the point where the real tough decisions are being made,” Paterson said. “In my view, the only taxes that I think are necessary are the ones on items — not direct taxes to the public — but on items that cost the public money.”

Like the cigarette tax. Or like the proposed sugar tax. Both, Paterson said, drive up health care costs. However, when Weeks asked about taxing alcohol, Paterson said “we don’t have any plans to increase” the tax on it.